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Body-Worn Cameras

Ithaca College Office of Public
Safety’sBody Worn Camera Program

The goal of the Body-Worn Camera Program is, above all else, to
increase the safety of our officers, our community members, and
campus guests. As part of that objective, the Office of Public
Safety will continue to build on its relationships with all
segments of the campus community. The Body-Worn Camera Program
seeks to take the opportunity within each law enforcement
interaction to increase trust, transparency, and accountability on
campus.

The following are the specific goals and guidelines for the
Body-Worn Camera Program:

1.Transparency

The college is publishing the program guidelines and will post
any updates on the Office of Public Safety website and will work
with campus constituencies to address any privacy concerns, with
special attention to such concerns during the first year of the
program.

2.Clear Guidance on When Officers Will
Record

Officers will record during all enforcement-related activities.
However, officers will have the discretion to stop recording in the
interests of individuals’ personal privacy or in the
interests of safety or de-escalation.

3.Notification to
Individuals

Consent from a subject is not required prior to starting a
recording, but officers will make reasonable efforts to inform
individuals (whether a campus community member or a guest) that
they are being recorded, unless doing so would be unsafe.

4.Respect for Personal Privacy
Concerns

Officers are authorized to stop the recording if, in their
discretion, sensitive personal privacy concerns may be at issue,
such as when encountering victims of sexual violence or domestic
abuse, or if an individual is partially or wholly unclothed.
Officers have similar discretion when dealing with individuals who
express some particular fear or concern about retaliation.

5.Limited Public
Disclosure.

For many reasons, including personal privacy, investigatory
obligations, and other institutional needs, access to body-worn
camera footage will generally be limited to authorized individuals
in the Office of Public Safety. Nonetheless, the college will
balance the public’s right to information with the integrity
of any criminal investigation or prosecution on a case-by-case
basis when considering any request for public disclosure of private
footage, subject as well to any restrictions under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or other applicable
laws.

6.Under Special Circumstances,
Officers Will Make Written Reports Prior to Viewing

Officers will generally have access to the video prior to
creating the written police report. However, a written statement
may be required prior to viewing the video under certain
circumstances, including incidents involving a use of force or
complaints of officer misconduct.

7.Makes Footage Available to
Individuals Filing Complaints

If no criminal charges are involved, individuals who file
legitimate complaints may be temporarily authorized to view
relevant video footage maintained by the Office of Public
Safety.

8.Limits Retention of
Footage

To help protect against any unintended use, the Office of Public
Safety must delete uncategorized footage within six months.
Furthermore, we will follow the New York State Education Department
retention schedule as it relates to public safety records.

9.No use of Biometric
Technologies

The Office of Public Safety’s recorded video and audio
data will not include technological enhancements such as facial
recognition or night–vision capabilities.

10.Protects Footage Against Tampering
and Misuse

The policy expressly prohibits unauthorized access. Whenever
footage is accessed, an identifiable log entry will be created in
the Office of Public Safety’s existing file management
software.